Commencement Ceremonies to be Held May 24

Commencement Ceremonies to be Held May 24

May 16, 2014

Buena Vista University will hold commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 24 with 699 graduates scheduled to receive their degrees.

They include 183 undergraduates from the Storm Lake campus and 485 who attended the locations of BVU’s Graduate & Professional Studies (GPS) program, both on-site and online. Another 31 students are scheduled to receive master’s degrees.

All events will take place on the BVU campus. The baccalaureate service will be held at 10:30 a.m. at Schaller Memorial Chapel. The procession through the Victory Arch will take place at 2:15 p.m., and commencement ceremonies will begin at 2:30 p.m. in Siebens Fieldhouse.

The commencement speaker will be Dr. Richard Lampe, professor of biology at BVU.

Dr. Lampe received his bachelor’s degree from Buena Vista College in 1969, master’s degree from the University of Kansas, and doctorate from University of Minnesota. He returned to Buena Vista in 1976 as assistant professor of biology, became professor of biology in 1988, and held other administrative roles while remaining at BVU throughout his career before retiring this year.

During his tenure as professor of biology, Dr. Lampe led courses in zoology, animal behavior, evolution, ecology, and conservation biology. Through his efforts, the University’s collection of mammal specimens has now grown to include 1,400 specimens, most recently expanding to include taxidermy specimens from around the world.

Dr. Lampe helped develop the BVU Undergraduate Rural Medicine Education and Development (URMED) and Undergraduate Rural Dental Internship (URDI) programs. He also had leading roles in curriculum development, was a member of the design committee for the Estelle Siebens Science Center, and guided students on 25 extended study trips.

Throughout his career at BVU, Dr. Lampe received numerous awards and accolades, including being the second recipient of the George Wythe Award, BVU’s highest honor for excellence in teaching, in 1989.

Dr. Lampe has held additional honors with the Iowa Academy of Science and the Buena Vista County Conservation Board and has been active in the Storm Lake community, serving on boards and committees for Buena Vista Regional Medical Center and St. Mark Lutheran Church.